panne

ByFast French

The French language has a set of related words built around the root “panne,” which all have to do with breakdowns, repairs, and troubleshooting.

1. “Panne” (Feminine Noun)

“Panne” refers to a breakdown or failure, usually of a machine, vehicle, or system.

Common Usage Examples:

  • J’ai eu une panne de voiture sur l’autoroute.
    (I had a car breakdown on the highway.)
  • Il y a une panne d’électricité dans tout le quartier.
    (There is a power outage in the whole neighborhood.)
  • Ma machine à laver est en panne depuis hier.
    (My washing machine has been broken since yesterday.)
  • Une panne de réveil m’a mis en retard ce matin.
    (My alarm clock failing to go off made me late this morning.)

2. “Être en panne” (Expression)

The expression “être en panne” means “to be broken down” or “to not be working.”

Common Usage Examples:

  • Mon téléphone est en panne, je ne peux plus l’allumer.
    (My phone is broken, I can’t turn it on anymore.)
  • Nous sommes en panne d’essence, il faut trouver une station-service.
    (We are out of gas, we need to find a gas station.)
  • Le distributeur automatique est en panne.
    (The vending machine is out of order.)
  • Je suis en panne d’inspiration pour mon article.
    (I have writer’s block for my article.)

3. “Dépanner” (Verb)

“Dépanner” means to repair, fix, or help out in a difficult situation. It can be used in both technical and non-technical contexts.

Common Usage Examples:

  • Peux-tu me dépanner ? Ma voiture ne démarre pas.
    (Can you help me out? My car won’t start.)
  • Le mécanicien a réussi à me dépanner rapidement.
    (The mechanic managed to fix my problem quickly.)
  • Je peux te dépanner de 10 euros si tu veux.
    (I can lend you 10 euros if you want.)
  • Mon voisin m’a dépanné quand je n’avais plus d’internet.
    (My neighbor helped me out when I had no internet.)

4. “Dépannage” (Masculine Noun)

“Dépannage” refers to the act of repairing, troubleshooting, or assisting in an emergency.

Common Usage Examples:

  • Le service de dépannage est disponible 24h/24.
    (The repair service is available 24/7.)
  • L’assurance auto couvre le dépannage en cas de panne.
    (Car insurance covers roadside assistance in case of a breakdown.)
  • Il propose un dépannage informatique à domicile.
    (He offers home computer repair services.)
  • Le dépannage d’urgence peut être coûteux.
    (Emergency repairs can be expensive.)

5. “Dépanneur” (Masculine Noun)

“Dépanneur” can refer to a repair technician or a tow truck operator.

Common Usage Examples:

  • Le dépanneur est arrivé rapidement pour remorquer la voiture.
    (The tow truck driver arrived quickly to tow the car.)
  • Appelle un dépanneur pour ton problème de plomberie.
    (Call a repair technician for your plumbing issue.)

TLDR

  • Panne → A breakdown or failure.
  • Être en panne → To be out of order or broken.
  • Dépanner → To repair or help someone out.
  • Dépannage → The act of fixing or troubleshooting.
  • Dépanneur → A repair technician or a tow truck driver.

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